Envelope machine



June 10, 1930. A. NOVICK 1,762,452

ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed July 3, 1924 I 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 [Q1 Q INVENTOR.

June 10, 1930. A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed July 3, 1924 9SheetsSheet 2 iim a INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEYS:

June 10; 1930. A. N WCK 1,762,452

ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed July 3, 1924 9 Sheets-Shet 3 ;50 -57 INVENTORMZMA L &

I J ATTORNEYS June 10, 1930. A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MAQHINE Filed July 5,1924 V 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR BY ,4 MG

ATTORNEYS June 10, 1930. A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed July 3, 1924 9Sheets-Sheet 5 llll lLll INVENTOR MZQW4 hkrko ATTORNEYS June 10, 1930.A. NOVICK 1,762,452

ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed July 3, 1924 '9 Sheets-Shet 6 INVENTOR ATTORNEYSJune 10, 1930. A. NQVICK ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed July 3, 1924 9Sheets-Sheet Dmm lg w

m @E m ii ATTORNEYS June 10, 1930; A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed July5, 1924 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 V INVENTOR 4 l k ave; ATTORNEYS June 10, 1930.A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed July 5, 1924 9 Sheets-Sheet v INVENTORv &4!

ATTORNEYS Patented June 10, 1930 STATES PATENT GFFIQE ABRAHAM. NOVICK, FFLUSHING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 F. L. SMITHE MACHINE (30., INCL, 0F NEW'YOB-K, N. Y., A. CORPGRELTION OF NEW YORK ENVELOPE MACHINE Applicationfiled July 3, 192%. Serial No. 723,907.

This invention relates to machines for manufacturing articles, such asenvelopes, from sheet material. It is particularly concerned withmechanism for operating on 6 envelopes which have been partiallycompleted, it being the purpose of the invention to provide mechanismfor removing the envelopes from the drier belt and transferring them tomechanism for closing the seal flaps and counting the envelopes aftertheir flaps have thus been closed.

It is well understood by those versed in the art, that the envelopes,after having been deposited on the drier belt, lose their timerelationship with reference to the operating mechanism of the machine,this loss of time relationship being due to several reasons, as forexample, slippage of the belt and irregular spacing of the envelopesproper. Because of this loss of time relationship they cannot be removedfrom the drier belt by mechanism which is timed in accordance with otheroperating mechanism of the machine. The present invention, therefore,proposes to time the operation of the transfer mechanism (fortransferring the envelopes from the drying belt to the seal flap foldingmechanism) in accordance with the actual spacing of the envelopes asthey leave 9 the drier belt and enter the transfer mechanism.

The invention further proposes to utilize the same mechanism which isemployed for timing the operations of the transfer mechanism for thepurpose of operating a counting. mechanism, the latter mechanism beingpreferably of a character such as to separate a convenient multiple ofenvelopes into groups.

The above features of the invention, and many others which will appearhereinafter, will be described in the following specification, havingreference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top planview of the machine showing the general arrangement of parts;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatical vertical section taken on the dotted line2-2 of Figure Figure 3 is a top plan view of a portion of Figure 1, buton a larger scale, and showing the transfer mechanism and the aligningmeans;

Figure 4 is a top plan View of the flap clos ng means;

Figure 5 1s a top plan view of the envelope counting means, includingthe envelope displacing means;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional View showing the transfer mechanism,the section being taken on the line 66 of Figure 3 and looking in thedirection of the arrows at said line;

Figure 7 is a detail View of one of the feelers in its normal position;

Figure 8 is an elevation showing the flap closing means illustrated inFigure 4;

Figure 9 is a sectional view showing the constantly running shaftconnected with the intermediate conveying means and having a frictionaldriving connection with the transfer means;

Figure 10 is a detail sectional view showing the feelers, the escapementmechanism and the means connected with the constantly running shaft foractuating the transfer mechanism, all of the parts being in their normalpositions;

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 10 but shows the feeler actuatedby anenvelope in transit and the escapement actuated thereby;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing how the envelopesare ejected from flap closing means to the accumulator belt; and

Figure 13 is a vertical section taken on the line iii-13 of Figure 5showing the counting mechanism including the envelope displacing means.

Similar characters of reference designate similar parts in each of theseve 'al views.

In Figure l the drier belt on which the envelopes have pre iously beendeposited is designated by he reference character 16. As shown in thedrawing, each envelope is'in a partially complete state, the side flaps17 and the bottom flap 18 having been folded over and sealed, and theseal flap 18 having been provided with a Zine of gum, which line of gumhas been dried by the time the envelope arrives at the position of thebelt indicated in Figure 1.

The only operation necessary to complete the envelopes is the foldingover of the seal flap. To accomplish this the envelopes are withdrawnfrom the drier belt by the intermediate conveying mechanism 19, thiswithdrawal being accomplished in such a mannerthat the envelopes areseparated out from their overlapping relationship and conveyed asindividual, spaced-apart units into aligning mechanism 22. In thismecha-' nism they are frictionally held in aligned position until actedupon by deflecting mechanism 20, the purpose of which is to push theenvelopes transversely into a seal flap folding mechanism 21. heoperation of the deflecting mechanism is timed for each individualenvelope by 'means of feelers 23 positioned a short distance in advanceof the aligning stops 22.

From the seal flap folding mechanism 21 the envelopes. are deposited ona receiving table on which they are separated into groups of aconvenient number by means of a counting mechanism 25 (Figure 5), theoperation of which is effected by the mechanism 2O employed fortransferring the envelopes into the seal flap folding device.

A general description of the mechanism of the present invention havingthus been given, a more detailed description of the various devicesconstituting the said mechanism will now be proceeded with and the novelfeatures thereof will be pointed out in the appended claims.

The envelopes are disposed on the drier belt 16 in overlappingrelationship, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. They are held on the belt byguiding means comprising a cord or chain 27 running over pulleys 28,only one of which is shown in the drawings. Just beyond the pulley 28the belt is turned abruptly downward so that the leading edges of theenvelopes continue straight onward into the bight 29 of the conveyingmeans 19, by which means they are removed from the drier belt as willnow be described.

The conveying means 19 comprises two belts 30 and 31 which runovercorrespond ing pulleys 32 and 33 at one end of the conveyor, andcorresponding pulleys 34 and 35 at the other end, the pulley 35 beinglocated considerably beyond the pulley 34 for reasons hereinafterexplained. The conveyor belts also run over idlers 36, 37 and 38, 39 byadjustment of which said belts may be put under the proper tension toremove all slack from the inner reaches 40 and 41 which lie against eachother and thus frictionally engage the envelopes. The belts may bedriven in any convenient manner and they run in the direction of thearrows at a rate of speed which is high as compared to the slow speed ofthe drier belt 16.

Because of this high rate of speed of the belts 30 and 31, each envelopewhich enters between them is quickly withdrawn from the drier belt andconveyed away before the next succeeding envelope of the drier beltenters between the conveying belts. In this manner the envelopes areseparated out from their overlapping relationship and carried away asseparate units.

To enable the individual envelopes to be removed from the drier beltwithout disturbing the envelopes which partially overlap the envelopewhich is being removed, there is provided a weighted roller 42 suitablysupported to bear down on the envelopes while they pass beneath it. Thisroller is placed at such a position that it securely holds theoverlapping envelopes in position on the drier belt, but does not retardthe removal of the envelope which is being withdrawn.

Belts 30 and 31 convey the individual envelopes into aligning mechanismwhich, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 8, consists of a pair of stoppins 44 adjustably secured to a rod 45 supported in a fixed bracket 46.The stop pins 44 extend downwardly from the rod 45 and into the path ofthe envelopes. Each envelope is thus arrested by engagement with saidstop pins and aligned against them. In this position the envelope isheld by means of a ball 47 which rests on the envelope and frictionallyretains it on belt 31. The ball 47 is held in place by a container 48secured to the bracket 46. A shoe 48 is provided to guide the envelopesunderneath the ball 47.

The stop pins 44 are adjustable toward and away from each other on therod 45 to accommodate envelopes of different widths. Similarly, bracket46 which carries the stop pins 44 is adjustable back and forth on afixed bearing 49 to accommodate envelopes of different lengths, it beingnecessary that the envelopes be arrested in such position that the lineof fold of the seal flap is in direct line with the folding blade 99 ofthe seal flap folding mechanism which will be described hereinafter.

After the envelope has thus been aligned, it is transferred to the sealflap folding mechanism 21 by means of a transfer means 20, which willnow be described.

As previously stated, the transfer means 20 is normally at rest and isset into action by the individual envelopes through the medium of thefeelers 23. These feelers are secured to a rock shaft 50, supported inarms 52 of a bracket 53 fixed to the machine frame. Normally the feelersextend downwardly through the path of the envelopes, as shown in Figure10, and are supported in this position by a stop 55 engaging with a stop54 mounted on a collar 54 secured to the rock shaft 50. A spring 56, oneend of which is connected to a pin 57 on the collar 54: and the otherend of which is connected to a stationary arm 58, is provided to aidgravity in biasing the feelers into the position shown in the drawing.As the envelope is advanced it lifts the feelers and thus turns theshaft 50 to the position shown in Figure 11, in which position itremains until the envelope has passed from under the feelers, whereuponit is returned to the position of Figure 10.

The shaft 50 thus has imparted to it a rocking motion, timed inaccordance with the spacing of the individual envelopes. This motion ofthe shaft is utilized to operate an escapement mechanism which in turngoverns the device for transferring the envelopes to mechanism forfolding the seal flap.

The escapement mechanism comprises a rocking element 59 mounted on andsecured to the shaft 50, and a cooperating element or arm 60 secured toan eccentric 61 frictionah ly connected to a constantly running shaftthe same to swing against a second tooth 64, as shown in Figure 11. Assoon as the envelope has passed the feelers, the rock shaft 50 isreturned to normal position by the spring 56. This movement is effectiveto move the tooth G l out of the path of the arm 60, thus setting thelatter free and consequently allowing the eccentric to be revolvedthrough substantially one revolution. This rotation of th eccentriccauses the transfer means to move the envelope into the flap closingdevice 21.

It may here be noted that the tooth 63 of the escapement device isconcentric with the shaft so that the pressure of arm thereon has notendency to rotate it when the parts are in the posit-ion shown inFigure 10. The tooth 64:, however, is so arranged that when it isengaged by the arm 60, said arm gives the toothed element 59 a quickstart towardsnormal position. To reduce friction to a minimum, the arm60 is provided with an anti-friction roller 60 to engage the teeth 63and 64.

Before proceeding with the description of the connection between theeccentric and the transfer means, a detailed description of the transfermeans will be given.

The transfer or deflecting means 20 (Figures 3 and 6) is in the natureof a pushing device comprising two slides 65, each slide comprising areciprocable bar 66 having a finger 67 thereon to engage the envelope.Each reciprocable bar 66 is slidingly supported in a bracket 68adjustably secured by a screw 69 to a square bar 70 mounted on the frameof the machine. Each slide bar 66 has clamped thereon an arm 71 by meansof a screw 72. Said arm extends downwardly into an elongated slot 73 inthe bracket 68 to keep the finger 67 in its proper upright position. Thearms 71 are bifurcated to form slots 7 at their upper ends to receive ahair 75 secured to an actuating arm 76 which forms part of the drivingmechanism connected through the eccentric 61 to the constantly runningshaft 62. liy means of the actuating arm T6 the transfer in ms 20 may hemovcd rightwardly in Figure (3 to push the envelope 17 from the conveyorbelt 31 into the flap closing means 21.

The driving connection between the shaft 62 and the transfer means 20comprises in detail (as shown in Figure 9) the eccentric (if providedwith a flange '75 which is pressed by a spring 77 against a collar 176secured to the shaft 62. Between the flange '75 and the collar 176 ofthe shaft (52, there is provided a washer composed of suitable materialsuch as fabric, for affording a frictional driving connection betweenthe collar and the eccentric. The eccentric forms with a plate 83secured thereto, a groove 83 in which contained a connect ing clement8-1; having a ring portion 85 within which the eccentric may rotate tomove the connecting element Ell up and down. The ring 85 of theconnecting elcment is provided with an extension 86 having a bushing 87therein into which extends the free end of an arm 88 secured to a rockshaft 89 supported in arms 90 of the bracket 15%.

With this arrangement, the eccentric 61 rotates with the shaft, due toits frictional connection therewith, upon the release of the arm 60 fromthe tooth 64, which release is effected by the spring 56, as notedhereinbefore, the instant the rear edge of the envelope passes beyondthe feelers 23. The rotation of the eccentric 61 with the shaft 62 movesthe connecting element 84 upwardly to rock the shaft 89 in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in Figure 6) by means of the arm 88, thefree end of which may slide back and forth in the bushing 87. The lowerend of the arm 76, on said shaft 89, is thus caused to push the slides65 of the transfer means 20 toward the right. The fingers 67, of saidslides, are thereby caused to engage the envelope 17 and push itrightwardly in Figure (5, or leftwardly in Figure 8, into the flapclosing means 21 where it is operated upon as hereinafter described.

The transfer means 20 is timed with respect to the conveying means 19 sothat each envelope reaches the stops -llimmediately prior to theengagement of the envelope by the fingers 67 of the transfer means. To

attain this end the constantly running shaft 62, from which the transfermeans derives its motion, is driven by the pulley 34 of the belt 30,which belt, as hereinbefore noted, is part of the conveying means 19.The devices 19 and 20 are thus accurately timed with reference to eachother.

Although the tension of the spring 56 for the feelers 23 iscomparatively light so that said feelers may be actuated with verylittle force by the envelopes, additional means is provided to preventthe slipping of the envelopes with reference to the conveyor belt, whenthe envelopes engage the feelersto actuate them. This means comprises apair of pressure rollers 91 and 91 between which are passed thestretches 40 and 41 of the conveyor belts, the rollers be ing supportedin any suitable manner and being spring pressed towards each other.

To prevent the envelopes from bending down at their side edges, as theypass under the feelers 23, there are provided guide bars 92. These guidebars are located one at each side of the conveyor belts and aresupported on a rod 93, which may be secured to the machine frame.

Adjustments may be made in the machine to accommodate envelopes ofdifierent sizes. For envelopes of dii ierent widths the aligning pins44may be adjusted to various positions along the bar and for envelopesof different lengths the slides of the transfer means may be adjusted onthe supporting bar 70, the actuating bar being of sufficient length toenable a reasonable range of adjustment of the slides 65.

' The flap closing means 21 which is best shown in Figures 1, 4 and 8,comprises two tonveyor belts, a narrow upper belt 94, and a wide lowerbelt 95. These belts run face to face anl form at one end a bight 96 toreceive the envelope by the side edge as it is pushed laterally from theintermediate conveying means 19 by the pushers of the transfer means.The envelope is carried along by the conveyor belts to cause its flap 18to ride over a portion 97 of the flap folding bar '43, while the bodyportion of the envelope is fed under a relatively fixed guide bar orplate 99. As the flap 18 ad vances along said bar 43, it is turned upand then back over'the body portion of the envelope, by a diagonallydisposed portion 100 of said bar 43 (Figure 4). As the envelope leavesthe flap closing bar, its flap 18 is creased by a roller 101 supportedon a lever 102 pivoted at 103 on a bracket 104-, said roller beingpressed down against the lower conveyor belt 95 by a spring 105connected to the rear end of the lever 102 which carries the roller.

To adjust the flap folding or closing bar 4-3 properly with relation tothe guide bar 99, it is provided with a stem 98*, which passes through ahole in a post 98 and is held in place thereon by a set screw 98. Thepost 98 is held in place by a set screw 98 in the machine frame, whichscrew engages a reduced end part of the post, this end being received ina lug 98 on a portion 98 of the machine frame. I

The guide plate 99 is supported from above so that the envelopes maypass freely beneath it. To so support said guide plate, it is providedwith an upwardly extending post 106 fastened to a horizontally disposedarm 107, by a set screw 108. By means of the set screw 108, the guideplate may be adjusted to the proper level, with reference to the belt95. The arm 107 is located high enough to clear the belt 94 and issecured to a portion 109 of the machine frame.

1 ressure rollers 110 and 111 are provided to press the conveyor belts94 and 95 against each other to keep the envelopes from slipping betweenthe belts while they are being passed under the folding bar 43. Each ofthe rollers 110 is mounted on a spring pressed lever 112. The rollers111, however, are relatively fixed in the machine frame.

The conveyor belt 95 runs over two pulleys 113 and 114 supported onportions 98 and 109 of the machine frame. The belt 94 runs over pulleys115 and 116, the latter running on a spindle 117. The pulley 116 isadjus able to vary the bight 96 according to the width of variousenvelopes. To bring about such adjustment, the spindle 117 may be movedback and forth in a slot 118 of a fixed bracket 119, said spindle beingsecured in position by lock nuts 120 and 121 (Figure 4). To let out thebelt 94 or take up slack therein according to the adjustment of thepulley 116, said belt is conducted under two idlers 122 and 123, andover an idler 124-, the latter being supported on a spindle 125adjustable up and down in a slot 126 in the portion 109 of the machineframe.

The envelopes are ejected from the flap closing means after the flapshave been creased by the roller 101. For this purpose there is providedmeans including a pair of constantly rotating brushes 127 secured to arevoluble shaft .128, which may be driven by means including a gear128*, Figure 4. The said brushes are effective to sweep the envelopesfrom the conveyor belt 95 and throw them on an accumulator or receivingbelt 129. The accumulator belt is driven at a comparatively slow speedso that the envelopes may be collected thereon in overlappingrelationship, as shown in Figure 5.

As previously stated, the envelopes are divided or' separated into setsor groups as they are accumulated on the receiving belt 129, so thatthey may readily be removed, manually, in groups of equal number withoutthe necessity of being connected by the attendant. To this end there isprovided the which is mechanical counting device 25 which is normally-atrest and is set into action by each envelope through the medium of thefeelers 23. A description of this mechanism will now be proceeded with.

The coimting mechanism 25, Fgures 5 and 13, is conn cted to the rockshaft 89 hereinbefore referredto, by means of a' downwardly extendingarm 130 secured to the shaft. This arm is effective during its initialstroke to move a connecting link 131 leftwardly in Figure 5, so as toswing a lever 132 counter clockwise about a shaft 133. A pawl 134mounted on lever 132 by a stud 135 is caused by a spring 136 tocooperate with a ratchet wheel 137 and to advance this wheel by onetooth for each reciprocation of the lever 132 and its ad justingmechanism. In this way the passage of each envelope under the feelers 23is recorded by the step-by-step advancement of the ratchet wheel.

Once during each revolution of the ratchet wheel the pawl 134 drops intoa notch 138 deeper than the rest. YVhile the pawl is in this notch, apin139 thereon is in position to engage against an arm 140 and push thesame together with its pivoted shaft 133 through a clockwise anglecorresponding to the space of a single tooth.

The pivotal shaft 133 is supported in a bracket 141 secured to the.machine frame and has secured thereto an arm 142, which arm carries anadjustable extension 143 with an envelope displacing finger144 thereon.This finger extends at right angles to the extension 143 and normallylies near the belt 95 at the point where the belt passes over the pulley114. In this position the finger is held by a return spring 145connected at one end to an arm 146 secured to the shaft 133, the otherend of the spring being connected to a pin 147 on the bracket 141. Thearm 146 is provided with a set screw 148 which bears againstthe bracket141 to arrest the envelope displacing finger 144 in its normal position,and enable an adjustment thereof.

The envelope in transit is ejected from the flap closing means justprior to the return of the pawl 134 so that the envelope while fallingto the accumulator belt 129 may be engaged near one end to turn theenvelope slightly and displace it with respect to the envelopes on theaccumulatorbelt. In the present invention the ratchet wheel 137 isprovided with twenty-five teeth 137 all of which have shallow notchesbetween them except two teeth which have the deep notch 138 betweenthem. It will be understood that the ratchet wheel is given a one spacemovement for each complete actuation of the rock shaft- 89 which, ashereinbefore noted, is set into action by each envelope as it passes thefeelers 23. Accordingly the finger 144 is operated each twenty-fifthspace (herein each complete revolution) of the ratchet wheel to throweach twenty-fifth envelope out of alignment so that the attendant maytake the envelopes from the accumulator belt in groups of this number.

To prevent overthrow of the ratchet wheel 137 when operated, and to holdsaid ratchet wheel against accidental displacement when at rest, thereis provided a brake shoe 150 which bears against a flange 151 on saidratchet wheel. The brake shoe 150 is pressed against said flange 151 bya spring 152 contained within a hole 153 in the bracket 141, whichbracket is secured to the machine frame. A screw 155 is threaded in thehole 153 to adjust the tension of the spring 152.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of mechanismembodying the invention, itwill be understood that many changes andmodifications may be made therein within the scope of the followingclaims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, itbeing my intention to claim the same broadly in whatever form itsprinciples may be employed.

hat I claim is:

1. The machine herein described which comprises means for conveying aseries of articles, means for arresting and aligning each of thearticles at a predetermined point, a normally idle transfer mechanism toengage the article after it has been arrested and aligned and totransfer it, means for causing the transfer mechanism to im mediatelytransfer the article when tripped, and means for causing each individualarticle to trip the transfer mechanism to initiate the operation of thetransfer mechanism upon itself.

2. The machine herein described which comprises means for conveyingarticles past a given point, a normally idle transfer mechanism, meansfor causing each article as it passes said point to prepare the transfermechanism for operation, means for arresting each article at apredetermined transfer point, and for aligning the article, and meansfor causing the transferring mechanism to transfer the article from thisposition as soon as it has been arrested and aligned.

3. The machine herein described which comprises means for conveying flatarticles in overlapped relationship, means for separating them from eachother to permit an operation to be performed on each individual article,normally idle means for instantaneously effecting such operation, andmeans for causing each article to control the said operation on itself.

4. The combination of envelope conveying means, flap closing means,intermittent transfer means to transfer envelopes indithe envelopesindividually and align them with respect to the flap closing means,means to frictionally hold each envelope in its arrested position,transfer means to transfer the envelope from its arrested position tothe flap closing means, driving means, and means actuable by eachenvelope to throw the transfer-means under the control of said drivingmeans.

6. In combination, envelope conveying means, flap closing means, meansto arrest the envelopes individually and, align them with respect to theflap closing means, transfer means to move the envelope from theconveying mean's'to the flap closing means, and means controlled by theenvelopes to render the transfer means effective.

7 The combination of means to feed an envelope, normally idle means todeflect the envelope from its path, means to operate the deflectingmeans instantaneously when tripped and means engaged by the envelope totrip the deflecting means.

8; The combination of means to feed an article, means normally at restto deflect said article from its path, an escapement to control theoperation of the deflecting means, means to operate the deflecting meansinstantaneously when the escapement is actuated, and means engaged bythe envelope to actuate said escapement' tov effect an actuation of thedeflecting means.

9, The combination of means to feed an article, means to deflect thearticle from its path, driving means for the feeding means and thedeflecting means, a frictional connection between said driving means andsaid deflecting means to enable the deflecting means to remain at restwhile the driving means is running, and controlling means for thedeflecting means engageable by the article to release the deflectingmeans so that it may be actuated by said driving means.

10. The combination of means to feed an envelope, means to transfer theenvelope from its path, driving means forthe feeding means and thetransfer means, a frictional connection between said driving means andsaid deflecting means to enable the transfer means to remain at restwhile the driving means is running, and controlling means for thetransfer means engageable by the article to release the transfer meansso that it may be actuated by said driving means to transfer theenvelope to flap closing means, the timing between the feeding means andthe transfer means being such that the envelope reaches a position inalignment with the flap 11. The herein described method of conveyingarticles and separating them into sets which consists in conveying thearticles in accumulated 'concition, but in no necessary spacerelationship, removing each article individually, feeding the removedarticle past a definite point to operate recording mechanism,accumulating said articles at a subsequent point, and then as a resultofrecordin said articles, causing certain of them at definite intervalswith respect to their number to be differently placed with respect tothe other articles to thus separate the articles into. sets of equalnumber as they are being accumulated.

12. The combination of means to feed envelopes past a certain point, oneat a time, counting means for said envelopes, constantly running drivingmeans, a frictional connection between said counting means and saiddriving means, an escapement device to normally hold said countingmeans, and feelers in the path of said envelopes to be engaged therebyto actuate the escapement mechanism to release the counting means toenable the latter to be operatedby the driving means through the mediumof the frictional connection.

13. The combination of means to feed articles individually along acertain path, means to deflect each article from its path, means tocount the articles, and means actuable by each article to enable theactuation of deflecting means and the counting means.

14. The combination of means to feed articles individually along acertain path, means to deflect each article from its path, means tocount the articles, means to actuate said deflecting means and thecounting means, controlling means for the counting means and thedeflecting means, and-means actuable by each article toactuate saidcontrolling means to enable said deflecting means and said countingmeans to be operated by said actuating means.

15. The combination of means to feed envelopes along a certain path,means to de flect the envelopes from said path, means to count theenvelopes, constantly running driving means, said'driving means having africtional connection with the deflecting means and the counting means,an escapement device to control the operation of the deflecting meansand the counting means, and feelers to be actuated by the envelopesindividually to actuate the escapement device to enable the deflectingmeans and the counting means to be actuated by said driving meansthrough the medium of the frici tional connection.

16. The combination of means to feed articles along a certain path andmeans to on said arm,

, ing finger thereon,

incense deflect the articles from said path, said de fleeting meanscomprising a pushing device, an actuable rock-shaft, and an arm on saidrock-shaft connected to said pushing device.

17. The combination of means to feed envelopes along a certain path andmeans to transfer the envelopes from said path, said transfer meanscomprising a pushing device, the pushing device comprising two fingersadjustable towards and away from each other and towards and away fromsaid path of the envelopes.

18. The combination of means to feed envelopes along a certain path andmeans to deflect the envelopes from said path, said deflecting meanscomprising a pushing vice, the pushing device comprising two slides,each slide having an envelope engaging finger thereon, an actuablerock-shaft, an arm on said rock-shaft, and a cross-bar said cross-barengaging said slides to cause them to operate simultaneously.

19. The combination of means to feed en velopes along a certain path andmeans to deflect the envelopes from said path, said deflecting meanscomprising a pushing device, the pushing device comprising two slides,each slide having an envelope engagan actuable rock-shaft, an arm onsaid rock-shaft, and a cross-bar on said arm, said cross-bar engagingsaid slides to cause them to operate imultaneously, guide-ways for saidslides and a bar on which said guide-ways are adjustably supported sothat they may be set towards or away from each other according to thesize of the envelope.

20. In an envelope machine the combination of means to feed envelopes,counting means, an escapement to control the operation of said countingmeans, said escapement mechanism comprising a toothed wheel and dog toengage said toothed wheel, said dog being connected to the countingmechanism, and feelers connected to said wheel, said feelers beingengaged by the envelope.

21. In an envelope machine the combination of means to feed envelopes,counting means, an escapement to control the operation of saidcountingmeans, said counting mechanism comprising a shaft, feelers to be engagedby envelopes, said escapement mechanism comprising a two-toothed wheel,and an arm on said shaft to co-operate with said wheel, said armnormally resting on one tooth, the feelers when actuated being effectiveto releasethe arm from said tooth and allow it to engage the othertooth, the arm being released from the second tooth upon the return ofthe feelers to allow the shaft to complete its revolution, the armreturning to its initial position in engagement with the first tooth attion of said shaft.

22. In an envelope machine the combination of means to feed envelopes,transfer means, an escapement to control the operation of said transfermeans, said escapemcnt comprising a toothed wheel and a dog to engagesaid toothed wheel, said dog being connected to the transfer mechanism,and feelers connected to said wheel, said feelers being engaged by theenvelopes.

11 an envelope machine the combination of means to feed envelopes,mtlefiecting means, an escapement to control the operation of saiddeflecting means, the deflecting mechanism comprising a shaft, feelersto be engaged by envelopes, said escapement mechanism comprising atwotoothed wheel, and an arm on said shaft to co-operate with saidwheel, said arm normally resting on one teeth, the feelers when actuatedbe ing effective to release the arm from said tooth and allow it toengage the other tooth, the arm being released from the second toothupon'thc return of the feelers to allow the shaft to make a completerevolution, the arm re-engaging the first mentioned tooth upon itsreturn to initial position.

24. The combination of means comprising a drier belt by which envelopesmay be fed at a comparatively slow speed and in overlapping relationshipwith the edge of each envelope extending beyond the edge of itssucceeding one, means to separate the envelopes, means to count theenvelopes after they are separated, means to again arrange the envelopesin lapped relation, and means operated by the counting mechanism todisplace an envelope after a predetermined number has been counted.

25. In a machine of the kind the combination with an envelope of meansthe end of the revoludescribed, conveyor, for counting the envelopes,es-

capemcnt mechanism settable to condition the counting means foroperation when engaged by an envelope and to set the count ing meansinto operation when disengaged by the envelope, and mechanism operatedby the counting means for dividing the envelopes into groups ofpredetermined number.

26. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with an envelopeconveyor, of means for counting and grouping the envelopes, comprisingmeans for opposing two successively acting obstructions to the operationof the counting mechanism, and means operated by engagement with anenvelope to remove one of the obstructions and by disengagement with theenvelope to remove the second obstruction.

27. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a highspeed conveyor on which envelopes are'carried in spaced relation, of aslow speed conveyor onto which the envelopes are delivered by the highspeed conveyor in lapped relation, the second conveyor being located ina lower plane than thefirst,'an envelope displacing device locatednormally behind the position in which the envelopes fall onto the slowspeed conveyor, and means for operating said device each time that apredetermined number of envelopes has been fed.

28. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with" a highspeed conveyor on which envelopes carried in spaced relation, of a slowspeed conveyor onto which the envelopes are delivered by the high speedconveyor in lapped'relation, the second conveyor being located in alower plane than the first an envelope displacing device locatednormally behind the position in which the envelopes fall onto the slowspeed conveyor, and counting means for automatically operating theenvelope displacing device each time a predetermined number of envelopeshas been fed.

29. In a machine of the kind described,

means for conveying articles in accumulated condition but in nonecessary space relationship, means for removing" each articleindividually from the conveying means, a recording mechanism, means forfeeding the removed article past the recording mechanism, means foraccumulating the articles at a subsequent point, and means operated bythe recording mechanism for causing certain of the articles at definiteintervals with respect to their'number to be displaced with respect tothe other articles to thus separate the articles into sets of equalnumber as they are being accumulated. i I

30. In a machine of the kind described, a conveyor for blanks, anoperating mechanism for acting on each blank at a predetermined point,means for driving said operating mechanism comprising a constantlydriven slip clutch member, a co-acting slip clutch member constantlyengaged withthe first, means normally holding the second mentioned slipclutch member idle, and blank actuated means for tripping the holdingmeans.

31. In combination, an operating mechanism, a blank controlled meanscontrolling said mechanism and a conveyor for blanks of sheet material,said blank controlled means comprising a pair of stops requiringsuccessive release to permit the mechanism to operate, and a controlfinger extending obliquely through the plane of blank feeding andthrough the plane of the conveyor in position to be engaged and pushedclear of said planes by the leading edge of an oncoming blank, saidfinger being caused by the movement so imparted by the blank to releasethe first of the stops and by its return movement to release the secondof the stops.

32. In combination, a blank controlled mechanism, a conveyor for feedingblanks of sheet material singly in spaced relation, said mechanismcomprising a control finger extending obliquely through the plane oiblank feeding and through the conveyor plane in position to be engagedby the leading edge of an oncoming blank and to be pushed clear of theblank, said finger being caused by the movement so imparted by the blankto perform its controlling function, and feeding means cooperative withthe conveyor for clamping the blanks to the conveyor to feed the blankspositively in finger engaging position.

In testimony whereof I have atfixed my signature to this specification.

ABRAHAM NOVICK.

